The House of Representatives has endorsed the Bill related to transitional justice.
The proposal presented by Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, seeking passage of the Bill related to Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Commission (Third Amendment), 2081’ was passed by a majority of the House in the meeting today.
Only Prem Suwal, lawmaker of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) stood against the motion of the Bill. The rest of the lawmakers present in the meeting stood in favor of the Bill.
Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire announced the endorsement of the Bill stating that it was passed by more than two thirds majority of lawmakers in the HoR.
The Bill which was registered by the then Prachanda-led government in the Parliament Secretariat on February 27, 2023 was tabled in the HoR meeting on March 19 of the same year.
The HoR had on April 28, 2023 sent the Bill to the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee for clause-wise discussions.
There were differences mainly on four points of the Bill in the Committee which were eventually resolved by the high-level meeting of top leaders. A taskforce led by Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak was formed to prepare a report.
The Committee then had prepared a report on the Bill based on the report submitted by the taskforce. The majority of the House passed the Bill on Wednesday.
Once it is endorsed by the National Assembly, it will be sent to the Office of the President for authentication. Once the Bill is authenticated by the President, it shall come into force as an Act.
The Commission for the Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission were first established as a transitional justice mechanism in 2071 BS. Even though the Commission was formed twice, the officials were limited to merely collecting complaints. Over 64,000 complaints have been registered in both of the Commissions.
There have been no officials in either of the Commissions since July 15, 2022. With the Bill endorsed, the Commissions are going to be formed for the third time.
